Carmen (Lucy Ann Werner) leads the charge of "Fame" at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. "Fame - The Musical" is on stage this weekend and next at Artpark. (photo by Matt Buckley/MMBArts Photography and Artpark)

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Preview by Joshua Maloni

Though the storyline is a little thin, Artpark & Co.'s
production of "Fame - The Musical" does, in fact, light up the sky like a
flame. A talented cast and bright, lively dance numbers make up for character
deficiencies and odd time jumps.

Set in 1980 at New York City's High School for the
Performing Arts, "Fame" tells the tale of a ragtag group of students, each one
dressed as befitting the decade of Madonna, Spandau Ballet and "Miami Vice,"
and praying to become a real, live star. Though these teens are the cream of
the crop of a vast applicant pool, they're told right from the start success
will only come from hard work. Their subjects - acting, dance, music - are "the
hardest professions in the world."

With '80s backbeats afoot, we meet the drama-loving student
body: Tyrone (Elijah Coleman), a skilled dancer whose step-mastery is offset by
an inability to read; Nick (Steven Copps), a child actor who is desperate to
prove he's more than commercial material; Lambchops (Nicole Cimato), a stylish,
punk-rock-loving drummer looking to form a band; and über-talented Carmen (Lucy
Ann Werner), who could win a handful of Grammys and still be called loose by
her mother.

As the performers move from classroom to dance floor, we
ping-pong between couplings. Stick-in-the-mud Nick buries himself in acting
books as would-be paramour Serena (Em Laudeman) urges him to lighten up and
"play a love scene." Tyrone meets ballerina Iris (Anna Marszalkowski), who is
wooed by his dance moves and relates to his upbringing. Girl-crazy Joe Vegas
(Jared Loftin) tries his best to woo Carmen, but she has eyes for classically
trained pianist Schlomo (Clark Kinkade), and soon joins his band with Lambchops
and Goody King (Raphael Andrews).

Each of these stories would benefit from additional material
on the subjects. Why, for example, should we root for Serena to land Nick, when
we don't know enough about her to care, and we only see him as a major drag?
Instead of a full dossier, we get bits and pieces as the timeline rapidly
pushes us through four years of high school (seriously, semesters are exchanged
in the blink of an eye).

The most interesting relationship is that of Tyrone and
Iris. The actors look as if they're in young love; moreover, her innocence and
lack is counterbalanced by his passion and sense of entitlement.

Carmen and Schlomo have the most potential as a couple
(silver spoon meets urban poverty), but, beyond their first encounter, they
hardly spend any time together on stage.

Still, just when we start to feel frustration pangs, "Fame"
bounces back with sharp, albeit busy dance numbers. The dance routines are fun,
and tightly choreographed by Lynne Kurdziel-Formato.

About halfway through the first act, a magnetic Werner leads
the cast in an exhilarating rendition of "There She Goes/"Fame," which is bound
to make the audience sing along to the show's most famous song. Carmen is a
star, if only in her own mind.

As intermission looms, the story gains some conflict as
students and faculty juxtapose theater and academia. The final number is a
little anticlimactic (especially in light of the "Fame" dance number) and just
a bit weird, with stuffy Nick all of a sudden dancing around in circles center
stage.

Act II encourages us to give each pairing a second look as
the characters are brought to life a little more. Again, the time jumps don't
help, but at least we're given a few more reasons to invest in these students.
The ire of Serena, in particular, grows on you as the show continues.

The dance numbers are sleeker and more crisp, yet maintain
Act I's playful tone. As the performers draw closer to graduation, the stakes
are higher - on stage and in life. The show ends with a fairly large surprise,
an optimistic outlook and a great reprisal of "Fame."

Unlike Artpark's previous Broadway musicals ("Aida,"
"Joseph," "All Shook Up"), "Fame" is a true ensemble cast. Though Werner and
Coleman are, essentially, the leads, their performances are not so over-the-top
that one overlooks or forgets about the other actors on stage. That type of
restraint is, to me, as impressive as their talent.

Credit director Randall Kramer with taking less-than-stellar
material, making it more interesting, and producing a show that looks and feels
more mature (in terms of presentation) than any of Artpark's previous
productions.

Ultimately, whether you focus on the show's flaws, or simply
overlook them, "Fame" will entertain you. Plus, I guarantee you'll be singing its
theme song for at least a week after you leave the theater.

"Fame"
is on stage through Aug. 18 at Artpark. For times and ticket information,
check out www.artpark.net or visit our "Fame" Page.